Automatic control for radio receivers



March 24, 1936. R. c. AVERY 2,035,255

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR RADIO RECEIVERS Filed Sept. 20, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Poeri C Ade/y WITNESS;

March 24, 1936. c, AVERY AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR RADIO RECEIVERS Filed Sept. 20, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR Poerz GAUEJ/y.

BY/ ATTORNFLYS March 24, 1936. Q AVERY I I 2,035,255

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR RADIO RECEIVERS Filed Sept. 20, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR @oerz Cf Ave/ywrr uzsst BY W j" i, I ATTORN-EYS March 24, 1936. R c AVERY 2,035,255

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR RADIO RECEIVERS Filed Sept. 20, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Safari INVENTOR S .lPoez-z CT Avery WITNESS? I BY ATTORNEYS Patented 24,1936

UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC CONTROL Eon. RADIO.

. REcErvEas Robert C. Avery, Sunnyslde, Long Island, N. Y.

Application September 20, 1933, Serial No. 690,198

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an automatic controlselected radio broadcasting stations may be suc-' cessively brought into a radio receiver at various predetermined timed intervals. For example, the apparatus may be set to receive a varied evenings program sent out through different radio broadcasting stations, the apparatus serving to automatically tune the various stations in and out at predetermined times to receive the desired scheduled programs.

Another feature of the invention is to provide an automatic selective time control apparatus which may be associated with a radio receiver without interfering with the manual control of the receiver should it be desired to operate the same manually or independently of the automatic apparatus.

A further featureof the invention is the provision of an automatic selective time control apparatus wherein the selected stations may be tuned in and out more than once on each setting 25 of the apparatus.

A still further feature is to provide an automatic selective time control apparatus which may be associated with various types of radio receivers now in use without requiring any chan es in the circuits of the receiver, which is simple and inexpensive of manufacture, and which is positive and accurate of operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a radio receiver with my invention embodied therein.

Figure 2 is'a detail sectional front elevational view of the time control clock.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional perspective view of one of the station control switches,

Figure 2a is an enlarged detail vertical sec- Figures '1 and 7 are diagrammatic views of the electric control circuits.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral I0 designates a radio receiver including a cabinet II of any conventional design within which the tuning shaft I2 is journaled. The front end of the shaft I2 extends beyond the front panel I3 of the cabinet, and carries a manipulating knob I4. A

, pointer I5 is fixed to the shaft I2 behind the panel I3 and traverses an arcuate shaped dial I6 visible through a similar shaped opening II' in the front panel I3. The dial is marked to indicate meters indicative of broadcasting wave lengths. Although not shown in the drawings, the shaft I2 upon rotation controls the setting of the tuning instruments of the radio receiver.

Also operable from the exterior of the front panel I3 is a toggle switch I1 and a volume control knob I8. The parts just describedare common in the present type 'of radio receivers, and have been shown to illustrate the operation of my invention with respect thereto, and which invention will now be described.

Set in the front panel I3 is a clock I9, which may be either mechanically or electrically operated and which includes an arbor shaft 20 on which a second hand 2I 'is mounted, a tubular shaft 22 telescoping the shaft 20 and insulated therefrom by a sleeve 23 of dielectric material, while a tubular shaft 24 telescopes the shaft 22 and is in electrical contact therewith. A minute hand 25 is fixed to the shaft 22 while an hour hand 26 is fixed to the shaft 24. The second hand 2| is the longest of the three hands and the hour hand 26 is shortest, while the minute hand is of an intermediate length. for a purpose to be presently explained. The hands 2|, 25 and 26 all traverse the face of a clock dial 2! containing the standard twelve hours, but a twenty-four hour clock might be used if desired, but is not necessary for the general use to which the invention is put. The clock dial 2'! beyond the clock face thereof is provided with an arcuate series of spaced electric contacts 28 adapted to be successively engaged bythe hour hand 26 during rotation thereof. Although the contacts 28 have been shown in the drawings as extending between six and twelve o'clock, the same may extend entirely about the dial for operation over a twelve hour period instead of six hours. There are three equidistantly spaced contacts 28 between each adjacent pair of hour contacts 28, the spaces between two adjacent contacts is traversed by the hour-hand during a fifteen minuteperiod of travel.

'29 are disposed in the path of rotation of the minute hand 25.

An arcuate shaped contact member 30 is provided on the dial 21' beyond the circumferential .plane of the contacts 29, a portion of which extends beyond the .opposite sides of the radial plane of the hour designating 12 o'clock. However, a longer portion of the contact 30 extends to the right or clock-wise side of the hour 12 than to the left or counter-clockwise side there,

of for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. The contact is disposed in the path of rota-,4

tion of the second hand 2| to be engaged thereby on eachrevolution of the same.

The four contacts Bend the arcuate contact 30 are connected by wiring 3| as seen in Figure 7- of the drawings, and which; constitutes part of the time'controlling. circuit to be hereinafter fully described.

The clock l9 controls the operation of certain selected operating circuits together with the motorcircuit for controlling the operation of an electric motor I2 of the reversible driving type. The motor 52 is employed for turning the tuning shaft I! in either direction of rotation, and is mounted within the cabinet H. The armature}! of the-motor carries a pinion gear 3| which is in driving engagement with a gear 85 frictionally mounted upon the tuning shaft I! as seen best in Figures3 and 5. The hub-of the gear 35 is provided with a split friction collar 35, the split ends of the collar being under the tension of a spring 31, the tension of which may beadiusted by a set screw It. Thrust collate 35 are mounted on the shaft I! on oppo-- site sides of the gear to restrict longitudinal movement of the gear upon said shaft. The

friction between the gear 35 and theshaft i2 is :sufilcient to enable the shaft to be-driven by the motor 12 during automatic'operation' of the apparatus. while the-resistance set up by the gear 35, pinion 34 and motor 32 overcomes the "friction during the manual turning of the knob ll when it is desired to manually tune the instrument of the radio receiver. :A spring pawl ll mounted on a fixed part of the cabinet engages the periphery of the gear 35 to prevent overriding of the gear during rotation of the I same by the motor 82. to cause the gear and shaft to stop instantly upon the shutting off .of current to the motor 5.2. Y a

Fixed to the'shaft ll'adiacent the'gear 85 is, a motor circuit selector member II by which the directional fiow of current to the armature l! of the motor 32 may be selectively controlled to rotate the motor I! in opposite directions. The member 4|. comprises a disk. of dielectric material. the center of which has a metallic bearing 48 which is fixed to the shaft |2.' Countersunk in the outer periphery of thedlsk I! are two semi-circular or arcuated shaped contaets u and u. the ediscent ends of which-are insulated apart as at 46. An arcuate shaped rail 51 of dielectric material is mounted-upon a ilxed' support 48 and the curvature of the rail is struck on the axis of the l2 but-on a beyond the same as seen in Figure 4. The support II is at the ends of the amalgam:

5 top of thedisk 42. The'support 48 carries electric springbrush contacts and 5|l,which engage the respective contacts 14 and 45 of the disk. -Mounted on the rail 41 are station selector contact members 5|, there being one for each radiostation whose program is to be received by "thesetting of the apparatus. Each member 5|-comprises a body 52 having a; slot therein for the passage of the rail 41 and'a set screw 53 forsecuring the body in a fixed position along the rail. A spring contact 54 extends from-the body 52 and-the free end terminates in an angular finger 55 which has bearing contact with the periphery of the selector member 4|. The selector contact members 5| are so posiv stations ofvarious wave lengths, they need not be disturbed-unless the stations altertheir' wave 1ength,'or'itis desired to set the contact-memsetting switches; 56 for the respective radio broadcasting stations under control by the automatic apparatus. In the present lnstancesfive different switches 58 are provided for controlling the time period of reception of five different radio broadcasting stations, for example WMCA,

WEAF; WOR; NZ, and WAI'BC, and the same are so marked to identify them. The switches 58 arearranged in a'horizontal row across the front panel l3 and two separate rows have been shown in order that the same station may be tuned in twice without necessitating the resetting of the switches, and if desired, more than more than twice. as' it is only necessary to arrange'the time-controlling contacts of likestation switches in parallel.

bers for other stations on diiferent'wave lengthsQ Mounted on the; panel l3 are selective time two switches for each station may. be provided I should it be desired to preset the same station,

a description or one station time switch as will'be set forth as they are all alike, and a description of one will suflicefor the others.

Each switch '56 includes a shaft 51 Journals-d in the panel I! and in a spaced inner panel 58 as seen in Figure 6 of the drawings. The outer end of the shaft 51 has a knob 59 fixed thereto on'which the radio station letters are provided and which knob has an annular flange con-.

taining a radio indicating mark 8| extending inwardly from the periphery thereof. The mark BI is adapted'to coact with radio markings ona dial 82 provided on the exterior of the panel II and which indicates the hours from 6 to 12 o'clock, and the fifteen minute periods between the respective hours. Fixed. to the shaft 51 and disposed adjacent the panel 58 is a switch arm -88,- the' free end .of-which is adapted to pass over a series ofspaced annular arranged contacts 55 which correspond in number to the number of fifteen minute periods between 6 and 12 o'clock or. to the number of contacts 2l' over which the hour hand 25 of the clock passes. A

o'clock contact I while interposed between the contact Q5 and the adjacent end contact N is a flat spring. .55 in the path of movement of the switch arm I: which serves to move the switch arm to a neutral positionafter the arm 'reset contact II is' disposed beyondxthe twelve 3 to the wires 68 as a-t 88.

aosaass 68 has been-moved into engagement with the reset contact 65 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Stop pins 61 extend outwardly from the panel 58 to'limit the turning movement of the switch arm 63 in opposite directions. It will be seen that by manually turning the knob 58, the

switch arm 63 may be set to engage any selected time control contact64; or the same may be turned to cause the switch arm to engage the 4 tacts 64 of all the station switches are respectively connected to the common feed wire 69, although only those wires 68 from the switches controlling station WOR are shown to avoid confusion by a repetition of a similar circuit.

Wires TI lead from the fifteen minute contacts 28 to the respective feed wires 69 to form part of the time controlled circuits in which the station selector switches are arranged.

The switch arms 63 of the pairs of like station switches 56 are respectively connected by wires 82 to the respective control switch members 5i.

The reset controls 65 of each row of switches 56 are connected together by branch wires 13 which connect with a common feed wire 14.

The start and stop switches I5 and I6 respectively are substantially the same in construction as the station control switches 56 with the exception of the spring 66 and a description of one of the switches 15 and 16 will s-uflice for the others. Each switch I5 and 16 includes a turn able switch arm 11 movable over a series of contacts I8 corresponding in number to the station switch contacts 64 and the contacts 18 of the start switch 15 are connected by wires I9 to corresponding contacts of the stop switch 16. Thewires 19 are in turn respectively connected A knob 8| is fixcd to the shaft cn'which the switch arm 11 is mounted and is provided with a radial indicating marker 82 which coacts with an hour dial 83 on the branch wires 85 placing them 'is connected to an electromagnet 86 by a wire 81 v which when. engaged, movesthe toggle switch I! to on or start position. A magnet 88 is mounted opposite the magnet 86 and is connected by a wire 88 leading to the switch arm 11 of the stop switch. 16. When engaged, the magnet operates the switch I! to an ofi or stop position. Although the switch I1 is electromagnetically controlled, the same may be manually actuated when the automatic time control apparatus is not in use in order to turn the radio receiver "on" or "ofl as desired.

The automatic apparatus is operated from an electric supply, and the positive and negative leads therefrom are designated at 88 and 8I respectively in Figure '7 of the drawings. The diagrammatic wiring hereinbeiore described and the further description of the same which now follows will be more clearly understood by placing the sheet containing Figure 7* Just below the sheet containing Figure '7 and lining up the lines which extend from one sheet to the other.

The positive or plug lead 88 from the source of energy is joined by a wire 82 which leads to the radio receiving set and joined thereto are wires 93 and 94 connected in turn to the respective electromagnets 88 and 88 and which form the positive sides of the circuits in which the electromagnets are arranged.

The negative lead 9| connects with the arbor shaft 28 on which the second hand 2| is mounted, and arranged therein is a switch 85 operable under the influence of an electromagnet 88 arranged in the stop circuit and which when energized serves to move the switch to open position. The switch 95 is manually operable to a normal closed position, and is under the light tension of a spring operating against action of the electr'omagnet.

The negative side of the time control' circuits passes through the hands and contacts or the time control clock I8. while a branch wire 3 leads from the negative lead wire SI and joins the wires 14, which wires are joined to the respective contacts 65 by' the branch wires I8. A wire 91 leads from the wire I4 in Figure 7 to the switch arm 98 of the toggle switch I1 and from there it leads to the negative side of th radio receiving circuit.

The motor 32 is of the reversing type whereby the armature may be driven in either direction depending upon the radial position of the gap 46 with respect to the contact fingers 54 when the station selector circuits in which the contact fingers are arranged are closed. For reversin the direction of the current to the armature 83 of the motor, while the directional flow of current to the field 99 of the motor remains the same, -I employ a pair of relay operated reversing circuits, the relays being designated R and S. The

relay R when energized operates a pair of switch arms IOU-and I8I which are connected by wires I82 and I83 respectively with opposite sides of the armature 33. A wire I84 leads from the contact 49 to the winding of the relay and from there it joins a wire I leading from the negative side of the field Y88 and terminating in a contact disposed in the path of inward swinging movement of the relay contact member I88. The relay contactmember MI is operated by end of wire I88 joined to a wire I81 leading from the positive wire 82 to the positive side of the field 98. v

The contact 58 is engageable with the contac 45 of the disk 42. and has one end of a wire I88 joined thereto while the said wire leads to the windings of the relay S and joins I85. Wires I89 and H8 lead from switch members III and H2 respectively, and which switch members are under the influence of the coil of the relay S. The ends of the wires I88 and H8 terminate in terminals disposed in the path 01' outward movement of the switch arms I88 and IN of the relay R and are engaged thereby when the reiii) the coil of the relay R to engage the terminal ioinedto the wire The operation of the device will now be de-' the same when .the relay S is deenergized. when the relay 8 is energized,fthe switch member II I engages the terminal end of a wire Ill which connects with wire I09Qwhile the switch member I I2 engages the terminal end of. a wire. H5

scribed and for example the apparatus will be setto tune in station WOR at 6 o'clock. then switch to tune in the program from WJZ at 7 o'clock, and then returnto station WOR at 8 o'clock and shut ofi the radio receiver at 9 o'clock.- Thus the radio program from WOR is received between 6 and 7, the program from WJZ between '7 and 8, andreturning to station WOR the program is received from that station 20 between 8 and 9.

.Assume' that the parts are in a neutral posi- 'tion as shown in Figures '7 and 'l of the drawings, the operator sets the starting switch 15' so that the switch arm 11 is in engagement with the contact. 19 identified as the 6 o'clock contact, as 6 o'clock is the predetermined time which we have given as an example for the apparatus to operate. The apparatus is to operate continuously from 6 until 9, thus the switch arm 11 of the stop switch is moved to engage the 9 o'clock contact 18 of the stop switch. These set positions are designated by dotted lines in Figures '7 and '7 of the drawings. The operator next sets the switch arm 08 of the upper station control switch 06 identified as WOR and sets the switch arm 99 to engage the 6 o'clock contact 84. The upper control switch 09 identified as station WJZ, is next set so that the switch gages the 8 o'clock contact 94 of the said switch;

. Thus the station selector switches are set for the successive operation of the apparatus to tune negative lead in to the time control clock. As

I the hourhand 20 moves about the sdial of the clock, the -same will come in contact with the 50 contact 29 identified as the Bo'clock contact and on the exact minute of six o'clock the minute hand flengages the contact 20 identified as one or the fifteen minute period contacts, fom' of which have been shown at spaced intervals, whereby the minute hand engages one or the contacts 29 during each fifteen. minute period. with the hour and minute hands in the position shown in dotted linesv in Figure 7. the circuits are not. closed until the 60 second hand 2| makes contact with the contact segment 9| whereupon it distributes current to the. line it from where it is picked up through the contact '29, minute hand 20, and thence out through the hourhand "Jud contact 20 which the hour hand engages. From the six o'clockcontact 20, the circuit leads through wire II to the 6 o'clock wire consisting of one of the group of wires 00, thence through the proper wire 10- to the six o'clock .contact ll of theJtarting switch II. The circuit continues contact "ll. contact arm ,l'l; wirel'l'to the electrotion WOR selector. is in the position shown in Figure 7, the current passes through the contact'member 5i to the contact 44 on the disk 42 and thence through arm 63 of the said switch engages the 7 o'clock -ln stations WOR, NZ. and returning to WOR; The switch 90 is manually actuated to close the energizes the electromagnet 98 .drawing the Simultaneously with the closing of the starting circuit, a station tuning circuit is closed,

and which includes the hands of the .clock hereinbeiore mentioned, wire II to the-respective wires 69, thence up through wire '68 connected to the six o'clock contact 64 of the upper WOR switch 58. From there the current passes through switch arm 63, wire l2 down to the. selector contact member 5i identified as the sta- Assuming that the disk 42 contact 49 to operate the relay R. After passing v through the contact 49, the current passes through wire I04, and through the windings of the relay R, thence' to wire I05, through the field 99 to wire 92 and thence to the positivelead in 90. This traces the circuit through the field of the motor, while. the armature 93 receives. its current in the following manner. .When the relayR is energized, the switch arms I00 and I.0I

engages the-terminal ends of the wires I06 and I09. After passing through the relay from the wire I00, the circuit extends up through wire I00,

contact arm I00, wire I02, through armature 93, wire I03, switch arm I01, wire l00 tothe wire I01 and thence through wire 92' to the positive lead in wire 90. feed of current to the armature oi the motor tends to' rotate the same cient length of time to enable the motortooperate in order to drive the disk 42 to the'proper station finding position. It will of course be that the tuning instruments for thetuning in of the particular radio stations are operable by reason .of the rotationof the shaft l2. .From the foregoing explanation, it willbe seen that.

. understood that the motor 3! drives the-disk 1 2 through pinion 9,- gear 90 andshait I2, and

the circuits are broken as the hands of the clock move around the dial, but when the hour hand 20 reaches the seven o'clock contact 29. and the minute hand coacts with the hour hand to read seven o'clock. the circuits are again closed but this timei-through'the selective switch 00 identified as that for the tuning of station WJZ.

The circuit is the same as'previously explained for the tuning in of station won but dueto the. position of the disk 42-. the contact member ll associated with the WJZ switch is in engagement "with the contact ll which causes the current to new to the armature-oi the motor in'a reverse. 'direction than that previously described. .When

in this-position. the circuit leads through contact member ll, contact ll on the disk 42, conthence outthrough the positive feed wire current tothe'armaturejlpasses wireilltowlrelillthencethroughwire II, tch arm .III which 'has been drawn over energizing of the coil-of the relay 8.

t 09, wire Ill. totherelay B and through the of the relay to wire. 109. from whence it ,down through the field 99. wire I01, wire wire II 8 through switch arm I8I, wire I88 to the armature 33, thence through wire I82, switch arm I00, wire I88, switch arm III, wire IIlto wire I06, thence to wire I81 and wires 91 and 90. Thus the direction of fiow to the armature is reversed which in turn will rotate the disk 42 in a reverse direction to cause the gap 48 to move opposite the contact member i associated with the station WJZ, thus the circuits are broken and the tuning instruments of the receiver are set for the tuning in of station WJZ.

The program from station WJZ will be received until the minute and hour hands of the clock indicate eight oclock, after which the circuit through the lowermost switch 58 which is arranged in parallel with the other switch associated with station WOR in order that the motor will be operated to return the instrument tuning shaft to a position to again tune in station WOR. The circuits for retuningin WOR after station WJZ has been heard is the same as previously described for the tuning in of this station, and a further explanation is not believed necessary.

When the hour and minute hands of the clock read 9 oclock which is the time for which the apparatus is set to be shut off, the stop circuit is closed through the hands of the clock and contact 28 designated the nine o'clock contact, thence through the nine oclock wire II,

wire 69 to which the wire II is connected, thence to the nine oclock contact I8 of the stop switch I6 from where it passes through the switch arm 11, wire 89 to the electromagnet 88,

thence out through, wires 93, 92 and 80. The closing of the stop circuit energizes the electromagnet 88 causing the switch arm 88 to be drawn down out of engagement with the electromagnet 86, thus breaking the circuit to the radio receiver. Simultaneously with the shutting off of the switch H, the electro-magnet 88 is energized through wire 88 through the coil of the electromagnet 98, thence out through the wire 82 to the positive lead wire 88. The circuit to the clock is broken when the apparatus is stopped as well as the switch I! controlling the operation of the radio receiver.

v With the parts shown in full lines in Figures '7 and 7* of the drawings, the radio receiving set may be turned on and tuned in to any de- .sired station independently of the automatic apparatus.

The automatic apparatus may also be operated independently of the time control feature, forby turning the switch arm 11 of the starting switch 15 so as to engage the contact 84, the circuit will be completed through the electromagnet 88 and the set turned on. Likewise by moving the switch arm I1 oi. the stop switch into engagement with the contact 84 thereof, the electromagnet 88 may be energized and the switch arm 88 moved to an "off" position to shut ofi the radio receiver. Assumingthat the set is turned on and it is desired to automatically tune in a selected radio broadcasting station. It is only necessary to turn the switch arm 63 of the selected radio selector switch toengage the contact 85, whereupon the station selector circuit will be operated to operate the tuning shaft I2 to'the proper position. The only difference between the method of operation just described, and that in which the time control clock is arranged, is that the clock controls the time or interval during which the reintervals.

While I have shown and described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that various other modifications may be resorted to if desired as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An automatic control for radioreceivers including a turnable instrument shaft adapted to be turned to predetermined radio station tuning positions, a rotor fixedly mounted on said shaft, a pair of spaced arcuate shaped contacts fixedly mounted on the periphery of said rotor with one of their ends in close proximity to each other, a pair of fixed opposed brush contacts respectively engaging said arcuate contacts, a plurality of spaced radio station finder contacts fixed relative to the axis of said shaft and adapted to engage the outer face of either of said arcuate contacts according to the radial position of rest of said rotor, an electric motor of the reversible driving type, driving means between said electric motor and said shaft, relay operated motor reversing circuits in which said motor, said finder contacts, and arcuate contacts are operatively arranged, said pair of opposed brush contacts being respectively arranged in the relay operated motor reversing circuit, and manually operated station control switches in the reversing circuits for closing either of the same depending upon the position of the arcuate contacts relative to the particular fixed contact through which the circuit is closed to cause said motor to operate said driving means until the rotor has been turned to a position whereupon the break between the spaced arcuate contacts radially alines with the finger contact of a selected closed circuit to automatically open the same.

2. An automatic control for radio receivers including a turnable instrument shaft adapted to be turned to predetermined radio station tuning positions, a rotor fixedly mounted on said shaft, a pair of spaced arcuate shaped contacts fixedly mounted on said rotor with one of their ends in close proximity to each other, a plurality of spaced station finder contacts fixed relative either of said arcuate contacts according to the radial position of rest of said rotor, an electric I selected closed circuit to automatically open the same, and catch means engaging the teeth of one of the gears of said drivinggear means for stopping said shaft to avoid over riding of said rotor upon automatic opening of a previously closed selected circuit.

' ROBERT C. AVERY. 

